Der fliegende Holländer

Der fliegende Holländer

Richard Wagner

Daland the seafarer’s ship has been blown into a bay by a
storm shortly before reaching home. The helmsman left on watch soon falls
asleep. Suddenly a large ship approaches and noisily lays anchor. Its captain
is the Flying Dutchman, cursed to sail the high seas forever. Once every seven
years, he is permitted to go ashore to find a woman whose true love will redeem
him. The Dutchman encounters Daland and learns that he has a daughter, Senta.
He asks Daland for his hospitality, and for Senta’s hand.

As the women in Daland’s house wait for the seafarers’
return, Senta sings a ballad about the fate of the Flying Dutchman, condemned
by the devil to sail off an unnavigable cape until he rounded it, even if it
took him till the end of time. Senta hopes to be the woman who will release him
from this curse. The huntsman Erik is afraid of losing Senta’s love, and tries
to stop her fantastic obsession with the Flying Dutchman. Daland arrives with
the Dutchman. As in her dream, Senta and the Dutchman realize that they are
made for one another. The Dutchman demands – and Senta promises – everlasting
love.

Daland’s sailors celebrate their safe homecoming whilst the
women make preparations for the couple’s betrothal. The sailors invite the crew
on the Flying Dutchmans’s ship to join in the festivities, but the crew does
not even answer them. Suddenly the sea becomes violent, and the ghostly crew
sing a terrifying chant. Erik tries to prevent Senta’s union with the Flying
Dutchman, reminding her of her earlier promise of fidelity. On hearing this,
the Dutchman is convinced that Senta has betrayed him. He releases her from her
promise to save her from death and flees to his ship. Senta plunges into the
sea, “faithful unto death!” The ghostly ship sinks beneath the waves.